1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a camera balance device;
Camera balance devices of this kind are used to balance video and film cameras which are guided manually by a camera operator and are connected by means of a suspension device, for example, to a spring arm in a waistcoat-type carrying device (so-called body support) which is in turn attached to the body of the camera operator.
The suspension device is intended to prevent tilting and inclined movements, oscillations and stepping movements from the body of the camera operator being transmitted to the camera because it is necessary to guarantee a constant camera alignment at all times and avoid any tilting, inclination or oscillation of the camera. Alternatively, the camera may also be secured by means of the suspension device to a free-standing support, dolly, crane etc, whereby the suspension device is then able to prevent any unevenness of the ground exerting an influence on the position of the camera.
For this, the suspension device is designed so that the construction comprising camera and balance device is able to execute a pendulum motion relative to the support. In addition, this construction is connected to counterweights. With a suitable choice and positioning of these counterweights, the camera is balanced in such a way that tilting and inclination movements, oscillations and stepping movements are not transmitted from the body support, free-standing support, dolly or crane to the camera.
2. Prior Art
A known camera balance device comprises a cardanically suspendable pendulum arm which is at least partially straight and whereon a camera fixing device is provided on one side of the cardanic suspension and a modifiable fixing device for counterweights is provided on the other side of the cardanic suspension. Used as counterweights are, for example, batteries which simultaneously function as energy stores.
The cardanic suspension device may in turn be attached, for example, to a spring arm in a body support, a support, dolly or crane.
In the known camera balance device, the counterweights may be moved altogether in order to balance the entire system comprising camera construction, pendulum arm and counterweights in accordance with the conditions in question, for example in accordance with the weight and location of the center of gravity of the camera used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,439 describes a camera balance device of this kind, whereby a monitor, a battery and other electronic components are used as counterweights which are partially movable independently of each other on the pendulum arm or swivelable relative to the pendulum arm.